Device for use in starting coal fires.



ABPLIUATION FILED JUNE 29, 1910.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

Elm 00mm arm,

n1; NORRIS PETERS cc., WASHINGTON, n. c

UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. BEEHLER, or owosso, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR. or ONE-HALF TOBERTRON K. BOYD, or owosso, MICHIGAN.

DEVICE FOR USE IN STARTING COAL FIRES.

To all whom it may concern: 2

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BEEILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Owosso, in the county of Shiawassee and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Use inStarting Goal Fires, of which the following is a specification.

Then a coal fire in a stove or furnace goes out, there is usually leftin the fire pot a residue of ash and unburned coals and in order tostart the fire it is necessary to either remove this residue and coalsor to push the same aside to form an air flue upward through the firepot.

This invention relates to a device which may be inserted in a fire potto form an air flue through the coal therein and into which thekindlings for starting the fire may be placed.

The object of the invention is to provide a cheap and convenient devicefor the purpose and to so construct the same as to adapt it for use inthe ordinary fire pot of a stove or furnace.

To this end the invention consists in the construction as hereinaftermore fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claimsreferences being had to the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stove with aportion thereof brokenaway to show the device embodying the invention in operative positiontherein; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fire pot of the stove; 3 is aperspective view of the device embodying the invention; and Fig. 4 is adiagrammatic plan view of a fire pot showing a modified form of thedevice in place therein.

In the drawing 1 represents the fire pot which is circular in plan viewand is curved inward toward its lower end.

2 is the grate forming the bottom of the fire pot which grate may be ofany suitable form or construction and the device embodying the inventionmay be used in fire pots of rectangular shape as well as in those havingthe form shown in the drawings.

The tool or device embodying the inven tion consists of a pair of bladesor plates 3 of sheet metal which are hingedly connected at theirvertical adjacent edges by turning said edges around a wire which wireis folded upon itself to form vertical parallel pintles 4: upon whichthe blades turn. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 29, 1910.

Patented Feb. 21, '1911. Serial No. 569,451.

upper end of the wire forming one of the pintles is formed into a loop 5and the upper end of the wire forming the other pintle is wrapped aroundsaid end at the base of the loop to connect the two pintles at theirupper ends and'hingedly connect the two blades. The loop 5 forms ahandle by means of which the device may be manipulated and the upperends of the blades may, if desired, be rolled or turned at 6 to stiffensaid ends.

In starting a fire the device is inserted in the fiie pot by thrustingthe same endwise downward therein with the blades lying close to thewall of the fire pot, the thin lower edges of the blades or platesoffering little resistance to such insertion, and when the lower ends ofthe blades engage the grates the blades are then forced inward towardthe axis of the fire pot, said blades turning upon their pintles withtheir outer edges engaging-the wall of the fire pot and thus an openingor fiue of triangular shape is formed between the wall of thefire potand the blades by the pushing of the coal inward. The position of theblades when so pushed inward is such that they are held from againstraightening out against the wall of the fire pot by the pressure ofthe coal against them adjacent to the wall of the the pot, where thefire pot is formed as shown, with a contract-ed lower end, the lowerouter angles of the blades may be cut away forming curved edges 7 toconform to the curve of the wall of the fire pot and if found desirablethe blades may be curved transversely as shown in Fig. 4.- so that theywill conform to the curve of the wall of a circlular fire pot and lieclosely against said wal,

After the device has been inserted in the fire pot as described thekindling may then be placed within the flue thus formed and after. asuitable bed of live coals has been formed within the fine the bladesmay be lifted out vertically by means of the handle 5 so that the livecoals will come in contact with the coal within the fire pot and setfire to the same, or the device may be takenout after the placing of thekindling therein and before the same is lighted.

I claim as my invention 1. A device of the character describedcomprising plates each having a straight longitudinal edge, and meanspivotally connecting said edges whereby said connected plates areinsertable in a fire pot adjacent to the wall thereof and turnableinwardly away from said wall attheir connected edges with their outeredges in contact with said wall.

2. A device of the character described comprising-a pair of oppositelyextending plates formed straight throughout the length of their adjacentedges, and means connecting said edges to turn in either direction andpermit said plates to be folded, one upon the other.

3. A device of the character described comprising plates each formedwith a straight longitudinal edge and a thin opposite edge and lower endto facilitate their insertion bet-ween the coal and wall of a fire pot,and means pivotally connecting said straight longitudinal edges.

4:. A device of the cha'acter described comprising a pair of oppositelyextending plates each having a straight longitudinal edge and eachcurved transversely in cross section to conform to the curve of the wallof a fire pot and means forming a pivotal connection between saidstraight edges of said plates.

5. A device of the character described comprising blades having thinside and lower edges with the side edges formed to conform to the shapeof the wall of a fire pot, and having fold-ed stiffening upper edges,and a hinge connection between the adjacent edges of said blades.

6. A device of the character described comprising like blades formed ofsheet metal having eyes on adjacent edges, and a wire folded upon itselfto form parallel pintles engagin said eyes and bent into a loop at theupper ends of the pintles to form a handle.

In testimony whereof I have .afiixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

, CHARLES E. BEEHLER.

Vitnesses O. L. DAVIS, Roy H. MCLEAN.

